Video and audio components allow users to create their own entertainment systems and to modify them as they desire.
One method for interconnection of these various components is to connect cables by hand between those components which are presently to be used and to manually change the cable connections when it is desired to use other components. This method is obviously unsatisfactory due to the manual re-arranging of cables required each time it is desired to operate the system in a different manner.
Another approach is to couple each component to a plurality of switches, which may be centrally located or distributed. The switches can be manually or remotely controlled to route the various signals between specific ones of the components to enable the system to operate as directed by the user. Although this approach is more satisfactory than the first, it requires extensive cable connections to the switches, which are unsightly, subject to signal discontinuity, and somewhat complicated, for the user to set-up and control. Additionally, the complexity of this type of system increases with the addition of future components.
It is desirable to provide a component interconnection system which is relatively easy for the user to set-up and flexible enough to easily allow for future expansion by the user with a simple connection for subsequently added components. Such a system desirably has a minimum amount of signal conductors so as to facilitate relatively simple user set-up and control and to enhance system reliability. At the same time, cost should be minimized. Finally, a preferred system must have the ability to allow several audio and/or video components to operate simultaneously so that a user can maximize utilization of his system.